Brace for drilling mechanisms.



J. M. HATFIELD. BEACE FOR DRILLING MECHANISMS.

v APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1913.

1,107,941. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

V A INVENTOR Juan /1 /1 #757620,

'u/Jaa /W er ATTORNEYS 1n: noRRls rzrzns cw. wAsmrwrou, v. c.

UNITEnsrA Es PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH MILLER'JiIATFIELD, or ROBINSON, ILLINoIs.

BBACE FOR DRILLING MECHANISMS.

To all whom it may concern t I Be it known that I, J osnrH M. HA FIE D, a cit zen of the United States, and 1a resident of Robinson, inthe county of Craw- I ford and State of Illinois,'have made certain new and useful Improvements in Braces for Drilling Mechanisms, of which the'following is a'specification.

My invention relates to braces for drilling mechanisms, my more particular purpose being to provide a simple andstrong brace adapted for use in connection with drills 3601' the purpose of preventing displacement of the circle or track relatively to other parts, used in connection with wrenches, for

the purpose of securing together the drilling stem and bit or disengaging the same. In

this connection it may be well to explain that the bits here contemplated, and particularly bits used for drilling deep wells, are secured upon the lower ends of drilling stems, and that considerable power must be brought to bear, as between the drilling stem and the adjacent portion of the bit, in order to disengage these parts from each other. For this purpose a wrench is usually applied to the drilling stem, and another wrench to the drill bit. One of these wrenches is placed against a limiting stop and the other wrench is moved around in the arc of a circle, being actuated by a jack used for this purpose. The jack may travel in the arc of a circle or in a straight line, as the case may be, depending upon whether the track supporting the jack is curved or straight. j

My improved brace is of such form'as to be secured to the track, whether the latter be straight or curved, and is provided with a head for fitting against the stem of the drill or against the adjacent portion of the bit so that the brace extends radially outward, from the drill as a center,to the track upon which the ack moves.

The purpose of my improved brace is to prevent relative movement as between the track and the members to be joined together or disjoined, the tendency of the wrenches employed for this purpose being to displace various parts relatively to each other. 1

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like letters indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a form of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail v I pSpecification. of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 18, 1914, Applicatio filed February 24, 1913. Serial Ref/ 50,227.

showing one of the end connections for the brace.

A platform'or floor 5 ishereushown as supporting the various working parts. The

drilling stem is shown at 6 and is provided with an angular portion 6 tofacilitate the application of a wrench to the same. The upper portion of a bit is shown at 7 and is provided with anangular portion? to enable awrench to bereadily applied thereto.

The track 2%. shown, is straight and is provided withteeth 25. A jack'26 is movably mounted upon the track 21 and is provided with "a handle 27 byaid ofwhich the jack is actuated. The track 241 is further provided at one of its ends with an eye 28. Extending through this eye is a pin 29.

extends from the eye in a direction lateral to the general length of the track 24.

A brace frame 31 is provided at one of its ends with a head 32. This head has a neck 33 which extends into the brace arm, and by aid of holes 34 and a pin 35 the head 32 is adjustably and detachably secured. to the adjacent portion of the brace arm.

The head 32 is provided with an opening 83? which fits over the top of the pin 29, as indicated in Fig. 2. A wrench is shown at 37 and is provided with a gripping portion 38 for engaging the angular portion 6 of the drilling stem. The handle of this wrench rests against the jack 26. Another wrench 39 is provided with a gripping portion 40 which engages the adjacent angular portion 7 a of the drill bit. The handle of this wrench engages the hook 30 which thus serves as a limiting stop for the same.

The operation of my device is as follows:Suppose the drill bit 7 is to be secured to the drilling stem 6. These parts, being threaded in the conventional manner, are screwed together as far as practicable by hand, and then the mechanism above debrace arm 31 is adjusted above described and the head 32 is brought into engagement with the pin 39. The operator 110W grasps the hand lever 27 of the jack 26 and by working this lever, causes the jack to travel to the left, according to Fig. 1. The Wrench- 37 is thus turned relatively to the wrench 39. The brace arm 31 by its rigidity and strength, prevents the track from sagging in toward the stem. The adjustment of the virtual length of the brace arm 31 is such as to take into consideration the length of the materials to be employed in the construction of any part or parts-the scope of my invention being commensurate with my claim.

' I claim A brace for drilling mechanism comprising a tubular arm having a head secured to one end thereof, a second head adjustably secured to the opposite end of the arm, said i second head being disposed at an angle to said arm and having areduced portion fitting into Silld arm, and'a p111 extendmg through the arm and through the reduced portion, sald second head having a recess cut in the under edge thereof for receiving a pin. 7

JOSEPH MILLER HATFIELD.

Witnesses i W. ARNOLD, G. D. MoCArurY.

(topics of this patent may be'obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

